1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grasping auxiliary for carrying an article or articles and a process for producing the same, and particularly, to a grasping auxiliary for carrying an article or articles, which is suitable for protection of fingers from a load applied by the article(s) during carrying of the article(s) using a film bag for accommodating the article (s) purchased in a supermarket store or any of other stores by a purchaser, and a process for producing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a film bag for articles of commerce purchased in a supermarket store or any of other stores by a purchaser has been provided from the store.
This film bag is produced in the following manner: A flexible resin material is subjected to a melting/molding treatment using a molding machine called a so-called tubular film-molding machine to produce a long tubular film having folded portions formed at widthwise opposite side edges. Subsequently, a central portion of the tubular film is punched at lengthwise regular distances and then, the remaining portion left after punching of the central portion and a portion which will be a bottom of a previously determined bag are sealed in a widthwise direction by a proper means, and the sealed portion is cut. As a result, the remaining portion left after the punching is a grip portion.
The film bag formed in the above manner is lightweight and has a moderate strength and hence, is extremely convenient for use as a receptacle or container for accommodation of an article or articles.
However, the film bag suffers from the following problem: When the film bag with an article or articles accommodated therein is carried, if the article has a considerable weight, the total weight of the article(s) is applied to fingers grasping the grip portion and hence, the grip portion bites into the fingers. As a result, the fingers are painful and thus, the film bag cannot be grasped for a long time.
To solve such problem, the present inventors have zealous studies and as a result, they have devised a finger-protecting pipe for a film bag described in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 11-007525. According to Japanese Utility Model Application No. 11-007525, the pipe is formed into a U-shape from a flexible foamed resin in an extremely simple structure, so that a grip portion of a film bag is fitted into the pipe for use of the pipe. Thus, the film bag with an article or articles having a considerable weight accommodated therein can be carried safely.
Further pending considerations regarding such a finger-protecting pipe includes a point that the fitting of the grip portion of the film bag into the pipe is further facilitated, leading to an enhanced handleability, and a point that the article(s) can be carried safely and stably.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a grasping auxiliary for carrying an article or articles, wherein the attachment and detachment of a grip portion of an article-accommodating means such as a film bag to and from the auxiliary can be conducted easily; the swinging movement of the grip portion during carrying of the bag can be limited, and further, the pressure contact of the auxiliary with a hand can be moderated to carry article(s) safely, and it is another object of the present invention to provide a process for producing such a grasping auxiliary.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect and feature of the present invention, there is provided a grasping auxiliary for carrying an article or articles, comprising a long tubular body formed from a polymer material into a substantially circular shape or a polygonal shape in section perpendicular to a lengthwise direction with a longitudinal notch provided in part, so that a grip portion of an article receptacle can be fitted into the titular body trough the longitudinal notch, whereby the article receptacle can be carried in a state in which an outer peripheral surface of the tabular body has been grasped, wherein each of opposite side ends of the tubular body with a pair of notches provided therebetween is formed into a curved-face shape having no corner in order to facilitate the fitting of the grip portion into the tubular body and to moderate the pressure contact of the opposite side ends with a hand, and a plurality of wrinkles are formed on an inner peripheral surface of the tubular body in order to prevent the sliding movement of the grip portion within the tubular body.
With such arrangement, each of the opposite side ends of the tubular body with the longitudinal notch provided therebetween is formed into the curved-face shape having no corner. Therefore, it is possible to facilitate the attachment and detachment of the grip portion of the article receptacle to and from the tabular body, and to moderate the pressure contact of the opposite side ends with the hand upon grasping of the tubular body to protect fingers more effectively. In addition, the sliding movement of the grip portion within the tabular body can be prevented and thus, the auxiliary can be used to carry the article(s) stably.
According to a second aspect and feature of the present invention, in addition to the first feature, portions of the tubular body in predetermined regions on the side of the opposite side ends are curved or bent, so that they are recessed inwards in a radial direction of the tubular body.
With such arrangement, particularly, it is possible to further facilitate the fitting of the grip portion into the tubular body and to further effectively moderate the pressure contact of the side ends with the hand upon grasping of the tubular body.
According to a third aspect and feature of the present invention, in addition to the first or second feature, the tubular body and the opposite side ends of the curved-face shape as well as the wrinkles formed on the tubular body are formed in a process for molding a polymer material by folding a long tubular base material flatly with halves integrally superposed on each other, and curving or bending the base material.
With such arrangement, when the base material is folded flatly with the halves superposed on each other, turn-ups are formed at the opposite side ends of the superposed base material, respectively. The opposite side ends of the curved-face shape in the tubular body can be formed easily by virtue of the presence of the turn-ups. One of the halves of the superposed base material on the side of an inner peripheral surface of the tubular body has a circumferential dimensional surplus area formed based on a difference between radius dimensions upon the curving or bending of the base material, as compared with the other half on the side of an outer peripheral surface, and the wrinkles can be formed by producing the looseness or shrinkage in the dimensional surplus area upon curving or bending of the base material. Further, the base material folded flatly has a double structure, and the tough tubular body can be formed by virtue of the double structure.
According to a fourth aspect and feature of the present invention, in addition to any of the first, second and third features, cutouts are formed at a predetermined depth in the tubular body to extend in a direction crossing the longitudinal notch, so that a grip portion baying a crossing shape can be fitted into the tabular body over an area of crossing of the longitudinal notch and the cutouts.
With such configuration, for example, when a plurality of articles such as books and newspapers are tied together in a crisscross pattern using a long string as an article receptacle, the grip portion of the article receptacle comprising the string assumes the crossing shape, but even when the article receptacle having the grip portion having the crossing shape is used, the grip portion can be fitted into the tabular body by virtue of the presence of the longitudinal notch and the cutouts. Therefore, such an article receptacle can be carried safely and stably. In addition, the grasping auxiliary is suitable for the carrying of an article or articles using any of various types of article receptacles.
According to a fifth aspect and feature of the present invention, the polymer material is a flexable foamed resin.
With such feature, the tubular body can be grasped further stably.
According to a sixth aspect and feature of the present invention, a pair of notches are formed in the lengthwise opposite edge of the tubular body at locations opposed to the longitudinal notch, so that they are recessed in the lengthwise direction of the tubular body.
With such configuration, the sliding movement of the grip portion within the tubular body can be prevented further effectively by fitting the grip portion into the pair of notches.
According to a seventh aspect and feature of the present invention, there is provided a process for producing a grasping auxiliary for carrying an article or articles, comprising a long tabular body formed from a polymer material into a substantially circular shape or a polygonal shape in a section perpendicular to a lengthwise direction with a notch formed in part, so that a grip portion of an article receptacle can be fitted into the tubular body through the notch, whereby the article receptacle can be carried in a state in which an outer peripheral surface of the tubular body has been grasped, the process comprising the steps of folding a long cylindrical base material made of a polymer flatly with halves integrally superposed on each other, and curving or bending the base material to foam a tubular body having a double structure, so that each of opposite side ends of the tabular with the notches provided therebetween is formed into a curved-face shape having no corner to facilitate the fitting of the grip portion into the tubular body and to moderate the pressure contact of the opposite side ends with a hand, and so that a plurality of wrinkles are formed on an inner peripheral surface of the tubular body for preventing the sliding movement of the grip portion within the tubular body.
With such process, when the cylindrical base material is folded flatly, the opposite side ends of the tubular body having the curved-face shape and comprising turn-ups can be formed easily at the opposite side ends of the base material. In addition, the wrinkles can be formed easily by curving or bending the base material, and further, the tough tubular body can be formed by virtue of the double structure of the base material. Thus, it is possible to produce a grasping auxiliary easily and promptly, which can be used to carry the article(s) safely and stably, while protecting fingers effectively. This leads to an enhancement in producing efficiency.
According to an eighth aspect and feature of the present invention, in addition to the seventh feature, notches other than the above-described longitudinal notch are formed at a predetermined depth in the tubular body, so that a grip portion having a crossing shape can be fitted into the tubular body over an area of crossing of the longitudinal notch and the cutouts.
With such configuration, for example, when a plurality of articles such as books are tied together in a crisscross pattern using a long string as an article receptacle, the grip portion of the article receptacle comprising the string assumes the crossing shape, but even when the article receptacle having the grip portion having the crossing shape is used, the grip portion can be fitted into the tubular body by virtue of the presence of the longitudinal notch and the cutouts. Therefore, such an article receptacle can be carried safely and stably. In addition, the grasping auxiliary is suitable for the carrying of an article or articles using any of various types of article receptacles.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.